n Germany there are around 100,000 Hindus from Southeast Asian countries, mainly India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bali. What unites all Hindus beyond their nationalities is their culture and religion: Sanatan Dharma, externally known as Hinduism ("the religion of the Indian subcontinent"). 
Many Hindus came to Germany as refugees, but others also came out of economic interests, in order to study and to pursue academic professions. Despite the meanwhile considerable number of Hindu fellow citizens and the presence of international organizations that maintain Hindu culture, there is still no representation of Hinduism vis-à-vis the German authorities or as a religious community. 
In 2006 the Hindu Forum of Europe was founded as an amalgamation of a number of Hindu organizations across Europe. The forum gives European Hindus a voice by showing how the European values of human dignity are represented in the Hindu ethos, which is based on respect for all traditions, cultures, religions and beliefs.